SPI High School French Immersion & Cultural Leadership in France

The two weeks I spent in France last year mark a turning point in my studies of the French language, in my preparedness for university (I participated in SPI's program leading up to my first semester of college) and, more personally, as a first taste of independence. Since completing the program, my French has improved immensely; a year and a half later, I can mostly understand the language (spoken and written), and feel much more comfortable responding with a complex/detailed answer and conversing than I did before attending the program. As far as personal experience, the program provided an opportunity to explore a new place, meet new people, and problem solve independently; in this respect it was a valuable learning experience: I can now read maps like books, know how to ask for directions/help in French, can navigate a shop, use public transportation, etc.
Moreover, the program DEFINITELY gave me a unique experience as a participant-observer to daily life in Biarritz. Living with a homestay family had (still HAS, really) the most significant impact, for the experience showed me that language and culture is NOT necessarily a barrier, that with some effort and good humour, communication and connection is possible (and rewarding) between people, regardless fo their background.

I was sitting out in the surf line up in Biarritz, France, when everything clicked. I was sitting next to my instructor as we waited for a new set of waves to roll towards the beach. He asked me where I was from and what I was doing in Biarritz, how long I was staying, and how long I had been speaking French. It was after I answered his questions that I realized how much and how well I had understood him and how I was able to respond comfortably! It was this moment in Biarritz that gave me the confidence, experience, and practice to spend this year abroad in Brittany. SPI Feance has the perfect ratio of classes, trips, and free time. I was able to take surfing and cooking, and there were numerous other options as well. Another great thing about SPI is the wide range of experience each student had with the language. I had only taken French for one year, and I came out of the program capable of communicating a little bit of everything in French! SPI is a great program for anyone who loves language, travel, and having fun.

I went to France with SPI study abroad last summer. It was cool because I learned a lot of French and met new friends. I went to Paris with my parents and sister before but this was my first time with out my family. This summer was better because I had a cool roommate and my homestay mom was the best cook and helped me with my accent. The classes were different than at my school and you get a transcript afterwards. My teacher was cool and told my roommate and I where the good restaurants were. I liked that I could go to the beach with friends when it was sunny and didn't have to always be with a director. The activities were fun and I saw a lot. One day we went hiking and I was like "what?" but then we got there and it was nice. I tell people I hiked in the Pyrenees and they think I'm cool. Those are the mountains there.

I think SPI is good because I had a lot of fun and learned more French than I thought I would. The directors were nice and were like my big sisters. My AP teacher doesn't make fun of my accent any more. I take French IV AP this year and it would be a lot harder if I didn't go to France. That was my summer.

I did a 3-week session starting in Paris for sightseeing, followed by a homestay in Biarritz, France. I loved the host family and Biarritz area, as well as the friends I made on the trip. One of the criticisms I have is that despite the hefty cost of the trip we were required to pay out of pocket for almost everything, including admissions fees, public transportation, meals, etc. The only thing that seemed to be covered was the 3-night hotel stay in Paris and the TGV trip to Biarritz. In addition, my friend and had a roommate situation at our homestay that was quite disturbing. The SPI coordinators refused to believe our side of the story and basically accused us of lying.
One other thing: do not rent a cell phone from their recommended vendors. We used PicCell wireless, and after all was said and done the total for a month long rental cost over $600! We could have activated my US smart phone for international use for the time I was there and it would not have cost that much.

The summer I went to Biarritz was one of the best summers of my life. I would 100% recommend this program to anyone who is studying french. My french improved so much, especially in listening (which for me is the hardest part), and I also learned so much about French culture. Living with a family was really nice and gave us a new perspective on life in foreign countries. My roommate was amazing and our host parents were lovely, we even had a host brothers and a sister and they were really helpful and nice! Biarritz is definitely the best place to study in France, the beach is beautiful, the people are so nice, and it has a really cool vibe! People from all around Europe come to study so you will get to meet all sorts of people!

I did the Biarritz- Paris extension trip and it was one of the greatest experiences of my life! Paris was great and it was amazing to see and experience the best France has to offer. My week in Paris was spent sight-seeing all over town and getting to know a great group of people. The first week was more about landmarks, museums, parks, and food rather than speaking French. Once we got to Biarritz and settled in with our host families the language part of the trip became habit. Every morning my roommate Ali and I would walk down to the language school, go to our classes until about lunch time when we would eat what out host mom made for us. After lunch we would go explore the city or go on an event with the whole group. Each day was filled with a new exciting experience! I would definitely recommend this trip!

A typical day in the program means waking up, going to class for about four hours, participating in the group day's planned activity, some free time, dinner, and then socializing at the beach. My french improved drastically; the teachers are enthusiastic and so likeable. The food is too good and the people you meet will open your mind; lots of foreigners go to Biarritz to improve their French, so you'll meet Swedes, Spanish, Irish, Italian, Swiss, German, Danish, Russian, and other people from different places. Aside from great classes and great people, the vibe is just wonderful. I made some insanely unforgetful memories in Biarritz, and I'm jealous of those who haven't lived it and have the opportunity to.

This program is meant to better your french, but it is more than that. It was such a cultural experience. I learned a lot about french culture from staying with my host family; including that if I want to say I have a short friend, I really can't say mon petit ami! I also met a lot of kids from Ireland, Spain, Italy, Costa Rica, you name it, and we still remain friends to this day! You make friends for a life time there! The freedom given to us after class was fantastic. I loved using my free time to go swimming at La Grande Plage, surfing, shopping, or even just sitting at the beach. The planned activities like hikes or that local game were a lot of fun! My conversational french certainly improved. On my first day of the trip, I was sitting at a little cafe in Paris for lunch with a group of kids whose name I knew but not much more. That day, I laughed at my attempt to order in french. However, by the end of the trip I was ordering food at bakeries or restaurants and asking for directions in french alongside people who had now become close friends.

I took the study abroad trip not expecting to get the experience that I did. I met people from all over the world, dealt with kind teachers and an even better host family. I learned more about myself through the people that I friended, time on the beach and immersing myself in a completely different culture. You learn that it's okay to get lost sometimes and in that I believe is when you find yourself the most. As for the city, I plan on going back as soon as I can.

I have to be honest here, this was a good trip but it was also a bad trip.
Good
-Host Family
-Classes
-A few activities
Bad
-Safety
-Activities
A mixture of both
-Group
Good
Host Family-The host family was very accommodating, for me they were nice and they made pretty good food. They were very welcoming to me and helped me learn new french vocabulary. Others had difficulty with their host families but mine was nice.
Classes-The class structure was okay, personally I thought it was easy and book work. However this is due to the test at the beginning. I completely messed up my test so I think I was in the 3rd highest level. They put you in classes with your skill level which is good.
A few Activities- a few activities interested me, the surfing was nice as was the tour of the chocolate factory.
Bad
Safety-The safety depends on the student. The group leaders give you ample free time which lets you do what you want. Safety depended on yourself not the leaders.
Activities-I enjoy physical activities however the groups did not accommodate well with me. True there was surfing but other activities did not entertain me. Some activities included visiting the chocolate museum, dancing, eating at a "spain" type food place, and surfing. We did have freedom to do what we want after we participated in the 'mandatory' activity but this town does not have many activities that I enjoy. Usually we went shopping, eating or went to the beach.
Mixture of both
Group-the trip rests on the people on the trip. These people come from all over and have different viewpoints on life. This is good but bad at the same time. No one in my group really enjoyed physical activities so I would have to compromise and hang out with them.
Overall it was an all-right trip. This trip helped me get prepared for colleges due to the bad and good things. I personally stick to schedules and this helped me realize what college will be like for me. However I was also able to see the 'partying' scene and realize that I will not be a part of it. If I knew this would happen I probably would not have gone. It was a good experience and I appreciate it, however I do not believe that the price is right for what I received.

Not only was the program fantastic, but the immersion in Biarritz made it so much better. The town was beautiful and perfect for walking around. It was the perfect location for 2 weeks. Talking with natives made my French ten times better!

The people in Biarritz were amazing and the classes were great!!! I can now actually speak French, not just understand it and I met so many great, open-minded people from all over the world. The social scene was great too... I loved it!

What we loved most about Biarritz was the mixture of the quality of the French program directors, teachers and classes combined with the opportunity for so many awesome activities, surfing, kayaking, rafting, hiking...!